I have no more respect for John Boehner than for any other institutional politician. Nevertheless, he was one of the better tacticians of the breed. A stern dedication to ideology is admirable, but Boehner fully understood politics as the art of the possible.
The instant issue is giving the left wing a massive political talking point: "The Republicans shut down the government, making you miserable, just because they hate women who want to talk to Planned Parenthood and maybe undo the result of a few moments of passion."
Boehner is as "pro-life" as anyone, if that's a criterion for "good" conservatives. He just saw the results of a shutdown drama as a huge political loss for conservative (and, to some degree, libertarian) Americans.
It took the stage-surprise of his resignation to reveal the idiotic contempt in which deliberative politics is held by some of his reluctant stable mates. For instance:
...and Rep. Tom Massie of Kentucky said the speaker "subverted our Republic.I think it was inevitable," Massie said. This is a condition of his own making right here.
Ass: Noun describing persons of mean disposition, prone to seek the limelight via personal slurs on better men than themselves. Hello, Tom.
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This Planned Parenthood crisis, acted out in the Center Ring, is probably the most valuable thing that has happened to that organization in decades. It couldn't buy such attention for any sum of money. A massive slice of America now believes the issue is shutting PP down. Not a chance. All the pro-lifers are demanding at this point is that their abortion program should not be paid for, directly or indirectly, by taxpayers who hold a strong moral position that abortion is sinful.
The sin of the matter can be worked out among the factions -- those who long for a return to the back-alley coat hanger, those who chirp that abortion is just one more means of benign birth control, and the more rational thinkers somewhere in between. Just leave the IRS out of it.
2 comments:
I think Boehner had to much common sense to be a good Republican now days. Compromise has given way to fanaticism. It is not only impractical it is unproductive. Real Republicans like Barry Goldwater are tossing and turning in their graves! The fact that there are at least 10 candidates who stand no chance of winning the nomination yet refuse to quit and unify the party behind one or two viable candidates shows clearly the refusal to put egos aside and do what is best for the party and ultimately the country. Speaking of egos! Donald Trump is enjoying his "free" presidential race. The other candidates have to buy air time, all Trump has to do is be obnoxious! Another first in US politics..
I don't think there has been this much stupid fanaticism (is that redundant?)since the period right after the War of Northern Aggression. The radicals at both ends of the political spectrum will settle for nothing short of their own "righteous" position. Sadly, people like Boehner are having their fill and leaving the field.
JAGSC
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